Folding crate.



C. F. IVHFISIEIN= FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATIQN FILED 001.9, 1911.

Pgtented Feb. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 M MiJf/i.

THE MORRIS PETERS Co., PlloTc-LITHO.. WA iHINGToM u,

C. P. MISSEN.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED 00119, 1911.

1, 1 27,909. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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narran srafrns ramenaernten. Q

cLAnENoEr. Missen, or cannoni/rour,y KENTUCKY.

A' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, `Criaininon F. Mlnsnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carrollton, in the countyof Carroll, State of kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates; and l ydo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the' art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in crates and more particularfly to that classknowny as folding shipping crates. A.

An object of this invention is the provision of acrate consisting of a plurality of hinged members which ,wheny folded will be reduced in size so asto require veryl little space for packing and' ywhich when extended willbe securely held in its extended position against collapsing.

Another obiect ofthis invention isy to improve and simplify devices of this character yrendering them comparatively simple` and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and efficient in use and readily operated. y

xr`W ith theI above and other objects in view which will be brought out in the following detailed description this invention resides in the/novelfeatures of construction, formations, combinations "andy arrangements parts to be hereinafter moreparticularly described, claimed and illustratedin the ac'- companying drawings.; in which :-y i

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my improved jshippingcrate. y' Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, 'showing the same extended. Fig. 3 is a view similar to i Fig. 2,' but showing the crate folded.

rFig*l 4t is a transverse sectional view illustrating the crate extended. Fig. 5 isan end view showing the same folded.' Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the hinges', and Fig.' 7 is a perspective view of one of the connecting rods. f'

` Referring more particularly to the drawingswhich illustrate the preferred formof my invention,V the numeral designates generally my improved shipping crate, which comprises opposite side and end sections 16 and 17 connected at their lower edges by a'bottom 1Sy and at their yupper edges .by a closure'19.r

l "Each ofthe sections F FOLDING CRATE.

Specification of Letterslatent. n

it, man ,recensies Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Application iled October 9, 1911. Serial No. 653,537.

of spaced parallely slats 20 .connected at in, A'

tervals throughout their 4length by brace bars 21. n The slats 20 are so arranged at one sideof `the closure 19 that the vertical slatsL comprised in one of the end sections extend between the longitudinal slats comprised in the top section or closure. These interlocking terminals of the slats are provided with alining apertures as at 22, for the passage therethrough of a connecting rod 23, which connecting rod produces a hinged connection between the top section or closure 19 and one of the end sections 17. The opposite end of the closure 19 has secured to the opposite sides yof the slats l shaped plates 24, `the horizontal portions of which are connected by the means of rods which yextend through apertures formed in the ends of the slats and plates 24:, respectively. In order toy prevent? any sliding movement `of `the plates upon said rods, blocks 26 are interposed -between the plates and surround the vrods 25.

` The depending portions 27 of the L-shaped plates 2i lare secured at; their terminals to thevertical slats 2O of the other ofthe end closures 17, which construction produces a hinged connection with this said end and top closure causing the saine to lie inspaced relation fromthe ytop when folded.

. The `opposite side of the bottom has securedfthereto in slots 28 formedl therein,` L- shapedplates :29 similar to the befoiemen` tioned plates 24. The horizontalportions of the plate 29 aresecured rigidly within the slots yby means of a pair of connecting rods 30, while each vertical extension 31 of the plates 29 'is pivoted at its yterminal by means of a connecting rod 82 to thevvertioal slats 20-of the said end of the crate. y i

The'rfopposite end of the bottom 18 is "pro-` vided with a plurality of tongues 33 between which are pivoted the lower ends of the slats 2O of the adjacent end closure by means or" a connecting rod 34. The opposite sidesfllrare hinged at their' lower edges *asKY indicated bythe numeral 35 to the opposite sides of lthebottom 18 and are adapted to be folded thereon when the crate is collapsed."

The medial portions of the slats 20 of the l eoy ` which 'will contactwith the opposite endk face'whichrests upon the top rail of the is forced upwardly intermediategits length `sides 16 forces the closure upwardly until the -end of the bar 36 engages the rear faces of said top rails 'of the sidesll, thereby securely locking the crate in 1ts extended position.

The intermediate of the railsZO of the` top 19 are independently hinged with respect to the remaining slats by severing the bar 21 upon opposite sides of the said slats posed between the free ends of the slats'is a bar 39 which extends slightly beyond the terminals thereof and between slats 40 which form a continuation of these independently hinged' slats 2() which prevents any lateral movement of the same which might serve to loosen the hinged connection or bend the connectingrod 23. The ends of these slats and bar 39 rest upon a cross piece 41secured to the under side of the slats permitting the same to lie flush with the remaining slats.

A block 42 is interposed between these independently hinged slats 20 and has rotatably secured to its upper face by means of a pin 43 a turn .button 44, which may be ymoved transversely of the top 19 of the crate, thereby permitting the upward move ment of the previously mentioned independ-l ently hinged slats 20.

In order to provide a closure for onehalf of the top section 19 when the hinged section israised, a supplemental closure 45 consisting of longitudinal bars 46 connected at intervals throughout their lengths by slats 47, is hinged to the cross bar 36 and adapted when moved upwardly to have the bars 46 interposed between the rails 20and the slats 47 in contactwith kthe lower faces of the slats 2O which obviously prevents any further upward movement, This hinged section 45 may bevretained in its position by means" of turn buttons 48 rotatably.

mounted` upon pins 49 for engagement with the upper faces of the adjacent slats 20.

Manifestly when the hinged section 45 is' permitted to drop downwardly into the crate, the same willl form a partition which wheny forced uponthe tapered block 50 will beheld against displacement dividing the` said crate into two compartments. AThe movement of this hinged section 45 will be limited in one direction by the engagement of one of the rails 47 with the slatsQO, while movement in the opposite direction willbe prevented by the'end of the said block 50 rail 47. In order to permit the engagement ofthe section .45behind the block 50 and the vbent upwardly intermediate their ends.

The crate is' folded as follows: The top 19 zontal pla-ne as the said top 19, and the opposite end section to lie in the same horizontal plane as the bottom 18. Owing to the previously described.construction of the L. shaped plates 24, when the crate is collapsed" the top and the bottom will be held in spaced relation `to each other which permits said crate being folded upon the opposite side sections. YVhen the crate is in its folded position the same will be securely held against displacement by a link 51 secured as indicated by the numeral 52 tothe bottoni 18, which link engages a pin 5.3 secured to one side of the bar 36.

usedpreferably for the purpose of shipping fowl, but it is to be understood that the same is not limitedy to this use alone, but may .contain any objects to which the' construction ofthe various parts will adapt it.

Havingy thus particularly 'described this invention, what I claim as new Vand desire to obt'ainby Letters'Patent, is p y1.'In a crate comprising a plurality of folding sections, a top section havingintermediate slats independently hinged kwith respect to the remainder of thetop, transverse bars beneath said top'secti'on and supporting the free ends of said independently. hinged slats, a block secured to said independent-ly hinged slats for spacing them, a block secured on-one of said transverse bars and disposed between said independent slats when in their closed position and a turn-button on said last named block and movable to engage the top sides of said slats for holding them in their closed po-. sition. v Y

2. The combinationy with a crate formed of a plurality ofl collapsible sections, including a top section, said top section having intermediate Yslats independently hinged with respect tothe .remainder of the top to forniva closure member for the top of the crate, of a bar extending transversely ofV the top section, a swinging partition formed of a seriesof spaced slats hinged to said bar and adapted when vin horizontal position to lie against the slats of the top and movable into verticalposition to divide the The previously described form of crate is crate into two compartments, means for locking the .partition in horizontal position against the top of the crate, and means for locking the independently hinged slats upon'v the top section. i J

3. Ina crate comprising ay plurality of sections forming a closure, a swinging partition adapted tobe locked inahorizontal position against the lower side of said top and movable into a vertical position, and In testimony whereof, I aix my signamelbans for loekiig said partition in a, vertiture, in presence of two Witnesses.

ca position, sai means comprising a block w 'secured upon the bottom section and having CLARENCE F' MIESEN an inclined upper face, said partition being Witnesses: engageable behind said block by sp1-inging TOMY HAYES, said bottom section outwardly. J AMES PIGKETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,`by addressing the Commissioner ofatents,

Washington, D. C. 

